Inpatient rehabilitation following operative spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma mimicking stroke: a case report

Abstract

Spontaneous spinal epidural hematoma (SSEH) is a rare cause of spinal cord compression. Symptoms may include sudden-onset axial pain followed by neurologic involvement including weakness, numbness and incontinence. Here we report the case of a patient followed prospectively after surgical intervention following SSEH and recovery following inpatient rehabilitation. This patient presented with right hemiplegia, neurogenic bladder and bowel with autonomic dysfunction. the patient with significant gains in Functional Independence Measure scale that improved from 15 on admission to 35 1 month following surgery. This case suggests that treating this type of patients requires hospitals specialized in spinal cord injury.